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Philadelphia Reviews

1993

70
from 19,787 members

At the time of its release, Jonathan Demme's Philadelphia was the first big-budget Hollywood film to tackle the medical, political, and social issues of AIDS. Tom Hanks, in his first Academy Award-winning performance, plays Andrew Beckett, a talented lawyer at a stodgy Philadelphia law firm. The homosexual Andrew has contracted .. Read more

Starring	Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, Jason Robards, Mary Steenburgen
Director	Jonathan Demme
Genres	Drama, Gay/Lesbian

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Critic's review of Philadelphia
View all critics' reviews (5)
- A feel-good film about AIDS, set within a standard Hollywood courtroom drama; it is well made and absorbing, given its limits.
- 29715
- - Halliwell's Film Guide
  - 02 Mar 2006 at 15:37
Write your own review »
Most helpful member's review of Philadelphia
View all members' reviews (82)
- - 10
  - 3
  Worthy but moving
  
  Whatever you think of this film Tom Hanks does an outstanding job as the lawyer with AIDS who sues his firm when they fire him. For its time it was ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 105029
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - a customer
  - Glasgow, Scotland
  - 19 May 2005 at 12:09
Most recent members' reviews of Philadelphia
View all members' reviews (82)
- - 0
  - 1
  My Aunty Flo Was Gay
  
  Shame about the jerkoff arslicker critic who always gets first bat on this wretched review list. We can hope the creature gets aids because that would be a ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1122009
- - Jingogunner
  - 8 reviews
  - 27 May 2012 at 23:24
- - 0
  - 0
  Shameful Culture, Shameful Morals, Brilliant film
  
  If the review title flashed the correlating thought to the Gay community, then I guess you have a ways to go to get rid of archane attitudes, but the fact that ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1121144
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - Zydor
  - 121 reviews
  - Headley Down
  - 23 May 2012 at 02:35
- - 0
  - 0
  Fine Performances Keep You Gripped
  
  A film with a straightforward mission that succeeds in telling its story effectively whilst winning audience empathy immediately thanks to a strong ensemble ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1119353
- - kingoftheducks
  - 12 reviews
  - London
  - 15 May 2012 at 10:52
- - 0
  - 0
  Touching x
  
  Such a touching film I cry every time I watch it, love Tom Hanks is there no character he can't play!
  
  Report this review
- 1118098
- - DiztyDi
  - 4 reviews
  - Southampton
  - 10 May 2012 at 16:59
- - 0
  - 0
  Great film!!
  
  Still a brilliant film - Even though its almost 28 years old. Loved it!!
  
  Report this review
- 1075476
- - a customer
  - London
  - 22 Dec 2011 at 20:36
- - 0
  - 0
  moving film about aids virus.
  
  This is a really good film . How the the deadly virus A.I.D.S effects everyone , from themselves trying to live with it , thier partners to family and how it ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1066562
- - smokeychops
  - 422 reviews
  - newcastle under lyme
  - 24 Nov 2011 at 12:15
- - 0
  - 1
  A must see!
  
  This was pretty well done I thought. Characters were likable and was though-provoking about the discrimination that still exists even though the film is going ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1016373
- - a customer
  - 12 Jul 2011 at 19:04
- - 1
  - 0
  Brilliant Film.. a must see
  
  An absolutely brilliant film. It always makes me cry whe I watch it, even though I know the storyline and ending....
  
  Report this review
- 983848
- - MAH76
  - 21 reviews
  - Brighton
  - 18 Apr 2011 at 15:00
- - 0
  - 0
  Gr8 film to watch - Philadelphia
  
  Gr8 film and very moving. Well worth watching. Tom Hanks and Densil Washington were brilliant. Well worth watching.
  
  Rita and John
  
  Report this review
- 921195
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - randyrita
  - 12 reviews
  - Ashington
  - 06 Sep 2010 at 14:36
- - 0
  - 0
  Needed more character depth
  
  Successful Lawyer contracts AIDS, his company then fire him for other reasons but an unfair dismissal claim brings out the truth.
  
  Well, I was a ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 920385
- - Bassman71
  - 460 reviews
  - Didsbury, England
  - 03 Sep 2010 at 15:37
View all members' reviews (82)

- - 10
  - 3
  Worthy but moving
  
  Whatever you think of this film Tom Hanks does an outstanding job as the lawyer with AIDS who sues his firm when they fire him. For its time it was ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 105029
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - a customer
  - Glasgow, Scotland
  - 19 May 2005 at 12:09
- - 3
  - 0
  Excellent - touching and real
  
  Excellent film - a credit to Tom Hanks and worthy of an Oscar. Banderas was slightly wooden and no intimacy was shown making it still a 'safe' Hollywood... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 254525
- - Big Baz
  - Kincardine
  - 14 Jun 2006 at 15:22
- - 2
  - 0
  A thinker!
  
  This film is not for the faint of heart but it makes you think. A four star because it wasn't quite my cup of tea but it raises a very important issue in ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 169821
- - a customer
  - Oxford
  - 03 Nov 2005 at 22:22
- - 2
  - 0
  Shocking how relevant this still is
  
  What really shocked me was that we were watching a story based on realities of the 1990's and it is hard to believe that people might really have behaved ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 474529
- - a customer
  - Birmingham
  - 12 Sep 2007 at 14:53
- - 2
  - 0
  10 years on its message rings loud
  
  I have revisited this several times as the years roll by and my view has changed from one of thinking it is overblown hogwash to one that it was a portent of ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 341627
- - tonyc123
  - northampton
  - 23 Jul 2005 at 01:26
- - 2
  - 1
  Worth watching it!
  
  Very good film. Sad but worth watching it because it is real life instances. Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington both did a great job.
  
  Report this review
- 327182
- - xristina
  - Surrey
  - 15 Mar 2005 at 21:16
- - 1
  - 0
  Eye opener
  
  I first watched this film as part of a project for school and it really opened my eyes as to how hard it would be to deal with not only a fatal disease, but ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 264750
- - Annie Archer
  - Bedworth, England
  - 16 Jul 2006 at 14:43
- - 1
  - 0
  Excellent
  
  Brilliant acting, moving story line...would recommend.
  
  Report this review
- 491485
- - a customer
  - Scotland
  - 05 Nov 2007 at 15:01
- - 1
  - 0
  Brilliant Film.. a must see
  
  An absolutely brilliant film. It always makes me cry whe I watch it, even though I know the storyline and ending....
  
  Report this review
- 983848
- - MAH76
  - 21 reviews
  - Brighton
  - 18 Apr 2011 at 15:00
- - 1
  - 1
  Does exactly what it says in the review.....
  
  Well written, well produced, well acted and well worth a watch.
  
  Report this review
- 10756
- - a customer
  - Somerset
  - 15 Jul 2004 at 15:47

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Critics' reviews
- A feel-good film about AIDS, set within a standard Hollywood courtroom drama; it is well made and absorbing, given its limits.
- 29715
- - Halliwell's Film Guide
  - 02 Mar 2006 at 15:37
- Hollywood's first major movie about AIDS is, at the very least, as good as we had any right to expect. The plot is... read more on Time Out
- 42794
- - Time Out
  - 04 Nov 2008 at 00:13
- "...A moving experience....PHILADELPHIA is successful because it is intelligent, sensitive and committed..."
- 6723
- - Sight and Sound
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:58
- "...As a piece of moviemaking PHILADELPHIA often works wonderfully well..."
- 6721
- - Entertainment Weekly
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:58
- "...Landmark..." - Recommended
- 6722
- - Premiere
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:58

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